Comments on Proposed Mystic River Crossing and Head House Connection to Assembly Orange Line Station

Comments on Proposed Mystic River Crossing and Head House Connection to Assembly Orange Line Station

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May 31, 2018
Secretary and MBTA CEO Stephanie Pollack
Mass DOT

Re: Realizing the Proposed Mystic River Crossing and Head House Connection to Assembly Orange Line Station

Dear Secretary Pollack,

The undersigned organizations strongly request that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation work with the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation to submit a BUILD application to fund the Proposed Mystic River Crossing and Head House Connection to Assembly Orange Line Station to USDOT by the deadline of July 19. In the event that the grant application is not feasible, we ask that MassDOT develop an alternative public‐private funding strategy.

This project would be a great candidate for this unique Federal funding program in that it has local and regional importance and support, has a recently completed basic design with cost estimates, and has private development funding that the Federal program values.

So that there is sufficient time to prepare first‐class competitive proposal, we would like to request a meeting with you or your staff as soon as possible to discuss this opportunity and help decide which agency would serve as the primary applicant. We have more than a dozen advocacy groups who have a vested interest to see this project built and are willing to assist with the grant application.

Regional transportation benefits of the proposed Mystic River crossing include:

  • Fills in a critical gap in walking or cycling to the north of Boston where the existing choices are indirect and via narrow sidewalks or on‐road along Routes 28 and 99.
  • Envisioned more than a decade ago with the first DCR feasibility study in 2008.
  • Will unlock high-capacity transit access to the Orange Line at Assembly for the residents of Everett, employees and customers to the Encore Boston Harbor Resort, Assembly Row and the Gateway Center, as well as future developments in the area.
  • Complements the recently announced Gateway City funding to design and complete the Northern Strand trail from Lynn to the Mystic River (which will terminate at the site until this bridge is constructed).
  • Will promote transit, walking and biking, thus reducing automobile trips and reducing vehicular traffic and therefore climate change impacts.
  • Will provide a much-needed connection between the adjacent communities of Somerville and Everett
  • Will complete the 20-mile Mystic Greenways network, connect dozens of North Shore cities with downtown Boston
  • Will close a critical gap in the 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway, a boost for bicycle tourism for Massachusetts.
  • Unify both sides of the Mystic River DCR park system by Connecting Somerville’s recently rebuilt Sylvester Baxter Park, planned Draw 7 Park redesign and the in-progress path along the MBTA seawall to the new parks and paths along Everett’s waterfront

Please note that there is a webinar, “How to Compete for BUILD Transportation Grants – All Applicants” on Tuesday, June 5 from 2:00-4:00 PM EDT. Details: https://www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants/outreach https://www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/policy-initiatives/tiger/308656/build-vs-tiger-fact-sheet-042018-1049am.pdf

Lastly, we would like to reiterate the importance of public-private partnerships in funding this type of infrastructure. As Dante Ramos stated in his Boston Globe article from February 23, 2018:

“Even as everyone pays lip service to the need for carbon-free transportation — and even as we enjoy the fruits of past investments on the Charles River Esplanade and elsewhere — we’re treating tomorrow’s green infrastructure like an optional frill, to be funded by voluntary contributions from rich abutters.”

Three pedestrian bridges, similar in scale to this one, have been built or are in-progress along the Charles River (North Bank, South Bank, Fanny Appleton/Longfellow), totaling more than $50 million. We ask that the same investments be made in the Mystic River, a region with the highest population densities and environmental justice communities.

We look forward to hearing positively about this request and meeting your staff. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact the undersigned or any of the other organizations.

Thank you for your consideration of this important opportunity.

Alan Moore,
Co-President Friends of the Community Path, Somerville
617-455-2103, alan@pathfriends.org

Amber Christoffersen, Greenway Director
Mystic River Watershed Association
781-316-3438 amber.christoffersen@mysticriver.org

NOTES: Conceptual Design of the bridge: https://www.mass.gov/files/mystic-river-bicycle-and-pedestrian-crossing-presentation- 2-14-18.pdf

Co-Signing Organizations:
Bike to Sea
Border to Boston Rail Trail
Boston Cyclists Union
East Coast Greenway
Friends of the Community Path
Friends of the Grand Junction Path
Friends of the Mystic River
GreenRoots
A Greater Greener Boston
LivableStreets, Emerald Network
MassBike
Medford Bicycle Advisory Commission
Mystic River Watershed Association
Somerville Bicycle Committee
Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP)
WalkBoston

CC:

Luis Ramirez, MBTA
Jackie DeWolfe, MassDOT
Pete Sutton, MassDOT
Leo Roy, DCR
Dan Driscoll, DCR
Ruth Helfeld, DCR
Representative Christine Barber
Representative Mike Connolly
Senator Patricia Jehlen
Representative Denise Provost
Brad Rawson, City of Somerville
Mike Tremblay, City of Somerville
Matt McLaughlin, Somerville
Alderman Arn Franzen, City of Somerville
Tony Sousa, City of Everett
Tom Philbin, City of Everett
Jay Monty, City of Everett
John Ziemba, Mass. Gaming Commission
Joe Delaney, Mass. Gaming Commission
Robert DeSalvio, Encore Boston Harbor
Chris Gordon, Encore Boston Harbor
John Tocco, Encore Boston Harbor
Zoya Puri, Encore Boston Harbor

 

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